Bail-clamp fob conveying stbucttjbes



A. E. NURRIS.

RAIL CLAMP FUR CONVEYING sucuss,

APPLCATION FILED NOVA 13. 94, RENEWEB tWi 29, EQZH` imi mine-556s A. E. NQRRIS.

am CLAMP FOR curwww SmcufsA APPLICATION ULED NOV i3, W14. RENEWU i20Vy 29 l9|8 AA k; NUHRIS.

RAIL CLAMP Fosa convivms STRUCTURES.

APPLECATIUN FLED NDV 13,19%A

RENEWED NOV. 29, l9l8.

Patented J uly 8, 1919.Y

5 SHEiTS-SHEET 3.

as s Invenor: .mou/Elwrrus,

A. EA Noms.

am CLAMP ma cowvemm summum.

APPLICATION FILED NGV`31I9I4 RENEWED NOV.29,\918

Putented July 8, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

( IIIIIII 47 i I rave W/o r:

BZH/von E'. No ruis mn/esse@ RENEWED NOVA 29, l9l8.

Patented July 8, 1919.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

I/venor: flmon/EVorr'x/ls W7 )7% v 7317 s f "Iii/Messes ff/amd Q g ALMON E` NORRIS. OI` CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAIL-CLAMP FOR CONVEYING STRUCTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent:`

lat'rlitod July 15H5).

Application filed November 13, 1914i` Serial No. 872.029. Renewed November 29. 1918. Serial No. 2G/FEEL lio it known that l, Amun E. Nomos, a riIizt-n olI tho lnitrd Statua, and a resident of (`amln-idgu. ronuty of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, (whose post-oilire address is' 31 Main street1 Calilln'itlgvpol't, Massiv rhusttts.) hart` invented an Improvement in Hail-Clamps for Conveying Structures, of whilh thtI Yfollowing' description, in connection with the arrompanvin2;l drawings. is a specification, lilal rharartt-rs on the drawings rrprt-.st-nting like parts.

This in vrntion relatos to ronvoyinpr hridgo structures and the` like haring wheels adapt od to trawl along' rails to lot-ato tht .same in various positions as desired. Sint-o those strut-tures aril usually largo and pri-sont an oxtrnsivo surlarr to tht` wind thm' aro likely to be propelled thereby alon the rails unless (ln-5- artx .securely rlampetv tht-roto. The present invention aimsl to provide strong and ufl'orlirr moans which may he readily operati-d to hold the strut-ture securely to tho rails.

The rharartcr ol the invention may be liest understood by referonre to the following' desrription ot an illustrative omhoditnrnt thoroo't' shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative aplmratus shown herein as embody ingr the invention;

Pig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus;

Fig, 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus;

Fig. 4 is a Ulan of a inotorand brake controlled drum for operating the clamp;

Fig. 5 on an enlnr ed scale is a vertical section taken on line -5 of Fig. 3 showing clump means adjusted to grip the rails;

F ig. is u view similar to Fig. 5 showing the clamp means released from the rails;

Fi 7 is a horizontal sertion taken on line -7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is n side elevation of the clamp Vineens shown in Figs.` 5 and G with parts in dotted and full line positions illustrating o erative `end inoperative positions of the c mp means; t

F'g. 9 'op in enlarged scale is a horizontal section tak" i1 on line 9-9 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 1Q o ein enlarged scale is a horizontal section taken' on lin' lll-10 of Fig.

Referring to the` drawings, the illustrative npparaus shown therein as embodying the invention `comprises a conveying bridge structure l (Fig. 1) mounted on wheels 3 (Fig. il) journalrd in bearings in llamo niomhnrs 5 ronnoutrd hy channel har t'ramr members T. As shown horoin tho strutture is adapted to travel aloney vtour rails, a set otl two rails .l, t being" provided adjarrnt each end of the strurturo although any number olE rails may la, omployt-d :is required.

For purposes otl illustration the strm-turo is equipped with four rlamps for st-unringi tho samt- -o thtl rails although any numhor mayY lio employed as desired. Hines thrsr. (-lzunps are similar in roustrm-tnm a drstrip lion of om` will .suiliro 'or ull. lnrh rlanlp rompl'isos opposed jaws adaptod to pfllp tho rail lntn'trn them. 'l`ho innrl jun is in tlu i'ol'in oi a raul 1l thin'. H) loosrijt pirotod on u pin l mountrd in a soyuna-.ini .shaped housing 15 and adapted to han a lit-alim;- thrust on tht` rrur flowed uali ot tht lionsvv ingr. To nornmlly maintain this ram ill a central position it proridrd with opposed lateral reresses 17 adapted to rot-rive heads lil of pins 2l mounted in vasings L3 etrrnrwl to the segmental housing li, Thus(- pius are` urged outward from their rasinggs tonni-d one another by heliral springs 2T unriruling said pins and confined lwtworn the lit-ads lil and tho ends of the casings Zi-. Tho pins 21 project through the ends of said rasings and roreive nuts 27 which limit tho inward luovennnt thereof. By the roi'istrurlion just described the ram is normally held in a reu tral position. The cani has a tarro ot ai propriate` frirtion material presenting a that portion 1V and enrved portions lll' adapted to engage the side of the rail. as shown in Figs. 5 and (i. The springs 2l are sutliciently strong to prevent. turningr of the mun unless it is pressed against the rail. To press said com jaw toward the rail, the outer Jaw referred to is adjusted toward the same,

as more fully hereinafter desrrilied.

The semnental easing 15. as shown herein, is integral with an arm 29 formed to present a lip lioverlying the rail and recessed to receive a shoe 33 of frirtion` material adapted to slide along the rail and support the firm 29 and the cani' Clamp member rar ried thereby as described. The arm 29 ma)Y be Connected by a link 35 with a similar arm for cooperation with the othei` rail.

The arm 29 is mounted between horizontal angle bars 37 (Fig. 8) carried by vertiral angle bars 39 depending from and secured to the channel bars 7 referred to. Une or the other of the angle bars 37 is. engaged them.

by the lamp when the latter is secured to lherail and transmits the holding effect of the ilimip to the structure. To contribute to the support of the angle bars 37, diagonal struts,l 41 are proyi'tled sei'ured to the channel bars 7 and to a plate whii'h is also seein-ed to the bars 39. To 'ontribute to the positioning of the elanip means. the link .35 has a pin 35 entered through a slot in`ai plate 4l fastened to,lhe vertical bars 39.

Haring; desrribed the dani clamp member and its support, next will be described the inter clamp member whit/h is adapted to' eooperale therewith to grip the rail between This outer member has an arm 45 (Fig. 5) with its low/'er end recessed to receive a shoe 47 of appropriate friction materiiil adapted to engige thelouter side of the rail. The arm 4o sfliivotally Connected to the` arm 29h31 a series of links 49 (Fig. 10) entered intooppos'ed lapertures in said arms. said links and arms having registering aper` tures for rereiving pins 5l.

lf the left hand arm 45,1s rocked in a r-oiitiai-lotlrwise direi-tion (Fig. it will' arl through the links' Yl!) and draw the i'laniping ja ws toward one another to tightly rip the rail therehelween. Various devices may be employed for rocking the arni 45, As shown herein the arlii 45 is rocked simultaneouidy with the similar arm 45 for the companion rail of the pair. To aecomplish this thi` upper ends of said arms are pirotally connected by toggle links 53 with toggle links 55.y the latter in turn being pivotiilly eonnectedlto a block 57. The links` :32% :mil 55 are pivotally Conner-.ted by fulcrum linl"` 59 with :in angle har G1 extending,r transversely between the rhannel bars 7 and origina-teil by a plaie ($3 thereon. The bloc-li pilvotally:tfonuvetril by operating links w .i ith :in arm of a rot-keiV G7 fast on a pin i iournaleil in bearings in braekets 71 sei-i'rwl lo the plaie |33. The rocker 67 is iori'ni-ilto present a sleeve 73 throujl'i which extends a lever "f5 carrying a Wei t 77. A toe 79 on an end of said lever 1s adapted to engage the plate 63 to limit the upward rocking i'noveiiient of the lever, as more fully hereinafter: described.

When the lever 7Fi is drawn into the 'posi tibii shown in full lines in Figs. (i and 8 the opratiii links are rlriiwn upward, thereby lil` ing Yt ie block 57 and buckling the toggle f liiks 53 and 55 and Causing the fiilerum links 59 with scissor-like artion lio close to the position shown in Fig. (i. rThis will rook the upper eijids of the arm '-15 :inward toward one anothef'r and their jaws outward away from the 'sides of the rails. thereby releasing the clamps',

.Nlien, however, the lever is rocked i'iiiwnwardito its position shown in full lines iii Fig. 5 `and in dotted lines in Fig. 8 the if;- nitingj 1 links are thrust downward,

thereby opening the fuleruni links 59 and straightening the toggle links 53 and 55, This will rock the upward ends of the arms 45 outward away from one another and cause their jaws to press against the outer faces of the rails. In so doing the arms will aet through the links 49 and draw the jaws of the elanips into tight gripping eugagement with the rails.

As stated7 if wind blows against the eonveying structure it will tend to propel the same along the track. In so doing it will tend to rock the cam clamp 11 against the resistance of one of the spring pressed pins 21. The flat gripping face 11n of the cam member 11 has a radius less than theeurved portions 11" thereof. Consequently if the structure tends to travel alon the rails the ram member will be rocked sghtly b vir"- tue of its frictional engagement witli the rail and present one or the other of the arc portions of longer radius to the rail. This will add to the pressure of the jaws against the rail and automatically increase the grip of the clamp thereon.

The levers 75 for opening and closing the Jiaws may he rocked by various devices as desired. As shown herein the levers 75 at one end of the structure areconneoted to the ends of a rope 81 which is led upward over guide pulleys 83 andi85 (Fi 1 and 2) und looped around a pulley 87 oigzsi double pulley block 89. About the other pulley 91 of said block is looped a rope 93 having one end anchored at e fixed point 95 and its opposite end attached to e drum 97.

The clamps for the opposite end vof the structure are also connected by a similar arrangement of ropes to said drum. The drum 97 is mounted fast on a shaft 101 journaled in bearings on a frame 103, said drinn being driven through a train of Speed reduction gearin b an electric motor 105. The armature o t is motor is fast-on a shaft 107 journal d in bearings on the frame 103. To one ende of this shaft is connected a brake wheel 109 adapted to be embracedl by a strap 111, one end of which is anchored at 113. The other end is Connected Vto a lever 115 fulerumed on n. standard 117 o!! the frame 103 and carrying u Wei htk119. This brake 'may be substantially t awsome as that shown in Patent No. 1,123,783 dated January 5, 1915, and operates automatically to holdthe drum against unwnding -and to permit the drum to have winding rotation. The lover 115 is connected yto a ro 191 whiehpasses over guide pulleys 123 and125 and depends' from the latten downward to the bridge propelling platorm 127. On this platform is mounted a'v controller 129 for starting and stopping the mot/or 125.

In operation when it 1s desired to set the clam s the controllingx rope is ulled, thereY y rocking the lever 115 and re easing the brake, thereby permitting the clamp levers to rock downward under the action of their weight and straighten the toggle links and press the clamping jaws into tight gripping engagement with the rails.

When it 1s desired to release the clamps the controller 129 is shifted to start the motor 105, thereby rotating the drum JU and hoisting up on the. rope 8l. This will rock the clamp eontrollin r lever 75 upward from the dotted to the ful line position shown in Fig. 8, 4thereby buckling the toggles and releasing the clamps. I

It will thus be seen that the cables which operate the weight-applied clamps at the separated truck units are brought together at a common controlling member on the bridge and are moved to appl)l or release the clamps by a common motor. The individual cables Iare so connected to the cables which al'e wound on the drinn Ui' that any difference in the movements of the individual clamping devices erlualized in the cables.

The structure shown herein comprises a main frame supported on front and rear piers. lt is customary to skew or swing` the main horizontal frame by advancing one olI the piers along the rails ahead ol' the other. It is essential that the clamp controlling ropes should be arranged to prevent the operation of the el-.nnps during such skewingr movement. 'lhe disposition of the ropes described prevents this. For example, if the forward pier is advanced ahead of the rear piel' the main horizontal fame ot' the structure will swing,r on a vertical axis substantially midway between the pulleys (Fig. 2). This will swing the pulley Si' somewhat about said axis but this movement of said pulley will not atl'ect the clamp operating rope 81 since said pulley will merely roll alonbr the loop of the rope passing:r around the same.

lt is to be understood that the clamp may be released by power or manually as desired.

By my invention is provided a simple, powerfulclamp mechanlsm which will se curely grip the rails and prevent any pos sibility of the inadvertent propulsion off the structure along the same;

Having described one illustrative embodiment of the invention without limiting the same thereto, what l claim as new and" desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A device for securing a structure `to a rail comprising jaws for engagement with said rail, a carrier for said jaws, and means for pressing said jaws toward said rail, one of said jaws being movable independently of said means'and having provision for automatically increasing the grip of said jaws on the rail as the structure/tends to travel along the Same.

2. A devicev for securing a structure to a rail comprising jaws for engagement with said rail, arms carryingr said jaws, and means for moving one ot' said arms to cause said jaws to grip the rail, one ot' said jaws beine,r movable relatively to its arm for mcreasing its grip on the rail as the structure lends to move aloner the same.

il. device for securing' a rail comprising jaws, arms carryimcr jaws, and means operating' through said arms for pressing said jaws toward said rail. one of said jaws being movable transversely to thcI plane of its arm for increasing' its Igrip on thc rail.

4. A device for securing' a structure to a rail comprisinglr arms, a jaw fixed on one of said arms and a cam jaw on and movable relatively to said other arm, and means operating;r on said arms for pressing,r said jaws toward the rail, said cam ha ving a ilai portion normally for engagement willi the rail and portions of longer radius for aut0- matically increasimgr the grip on the rail if the structure tends to movil alom;y the to a sani sl rllcl ure `ment with said rail, one of said jaws being movable imlcpendently of said means, and means tending to maintain said last named jaw yieldingly in a mid position.

7. '.l`he combination with jaws, of arms carrying the same, 'a casing on one of said arms receiving one ol' said jaws, and means operating through said arms for pressing said jaws against a rail.

8. The combination with jaws for engagement with a rail. oi' arms carrying said jaws, a casing on one ot' said arms receiving one of .said jaws, and spring-pressed plungers in .said casing for positioning the jaw therein.

9.\ The combination with carrier members, a jaw on one of said members, a easing on the other member, a jaw mounted in said casing and movable relatively thereto, spring means tendineV to hold said jaw in a predetermined position in said easing, and means cooperating with said carrier members for eausin r'said jaws to grip a rail.

10. he combination with carrier mem bers of a. jaw on one of said members` a casing on the other member, a cam-faced jaw in said casing having a flattened rail-engaging portion and railengaging portions at opposite sides thereof of longer radius, and means tending to hold said jaw with said TII tio

flattened portion in active engagi-:ment with the rail.

l1. The combination with carrier members of a jaw on one of said members, a casing on the other member, a jaw loosely mounted in Said easing adaitcd t'or endthrust engagement with a wall of said casing, and means tending to hold said jaw in a predetermined position in said casing.

12. A device for securing a structure to a rail, com rising jaw carrying members for presentat on at oppositel sides ot' a rail, a jaw mounted to swing about a center on one of said members and having portions arraged at different distances from the center, and means to hold the same normallv in a given angular position relative to said center.

13. A device for securing a structure to a rail, comprising opposed jaw carrying arms, means for swinging said arms to close the jaws on the rail, one jaw heilig mounted to swing about a center on one of said armsand having portions arranged at different dis tances from the center, and means to hold the same normally in a given angular posi tion relative to Said center'.

14. The.co|nhination with jaws for cir gagement with a rail, of members carrying said jaws, toggle link means for said members, and a weighted lever connected to said toggle link means for operatin the same to causesaid jaws to grip saidral 15. In a device for securing a traveling structure to a rail, the combination with `aws for engagement with a rail, of members carrying said jaws, a shoe for cngagement with the top of the rail to support said members during the movement of the structure along the rail, and means for pressing said jaws into tight, gripping engagement with said rail.

16. In a device for securing a. traveling structure to a rail, the combinatiim with jaws for engagement with a rail, of means` carrying said jaws havin a supporting member adapted to slide a ong the top of the rail during the movement of the struc ture along the rail, and means for pressing said jaws a inst said rail.

1f?. The com ination with a conveying structure, of a truck therefor adapted to travel along a rail, and means to secure said truck to the rail comprising jaws, and means for moving said jaws into or out of lock ing engagement with the rail, one of said jaws having provision for increasing the grip thereof on the rail if the truck tends to travel along the same.

18. The combination with a conveying bridge structure, of a truck therefor adapted to travel along a rail, and means to secure said truck to saidn rail comprising jaws, means carrying said jaws, means for pressing said jaws against the rail including a lever having a weight thereon, and means for releasing said jaws including a drum, a -ablc connecting said lever with said drum, and a motor for driving said drum.

1S). The combination with a conveying strut-turc, of a truck adapted to travel along a rail, and means for securing :aid truck to said rail comprising jaws, means including a weighted lever for causing said jaws to grip the rail, 'and means mounted on said structure remote from said truck for open ating said weighted lever to release said jaws from said rail.

2t). The combination with jaws 11 and 4T for engagement with a rail, of a casing 15 for one ot said jaws, arms 29 and 45 carrying said parts, and means including a` lever 7.3 and a weight T7, for causing said jaws to grip said rail.

2']A The combination with carrier members 29 and lf), of a jaw t7 for the arm 45, a jaw ll for tht. alin 29, having a flattened rail-engaging 'portion tl, and rait-engaging portions at opposite sides thereof ot' longer radius1 a casing l for said jaw li., rods` 21, and springs 2i cooperating with said rods tending to yieldingly hold said jaw ll in position with its portion l1 in active engagement with the rail.

2Q. A traveling bridge adapted for travel upon a suitable trackway and having a plurality of supporting trucks and provided with a plurality of wcighbapplied rail f latnping devices located at separated points on said bridge structure` a flexible rope or cable connected to each clamping device on the bridge structure, and a common motor for moving the cablesA i release the clamping devices.

23. A traveling bridge adapted to move along a suitable tracltwav and a plurality of separato supporting track units provided cach with a rail clamping device, a weight located in the immraliato vicinity of each clamping device and acting to move the same into a clamping position, a flexible rope or cable connected to each clamping device on` the bridge structure, and a comA mon motor for moving the cables to lift the weights and release the clamps.

*24. A traveling bridge adapted to travel along a suitable trackwajy having a plurality ot separately located supporting` truck unita provided each with a rail clamping devia; toggle links for actuating each clamping de` vice, a weight for moving said toggle links into closed or clampin position, a flexible rope or cable connecte( to lift cach weight and release its clamp, said several ropes 0I cables being connected to a common controller on the bridge structure, and a comr mon motor for mov ing the cables to release the clamps.

Q5. In a traveling bridge, the combination with a plurality of separated, weight-ap if rulli winmix e;

:dumping moans adapted tu bv plm'ld in L @ping vng'zlgunwnt with thu mib moans uulrmmlivnlly responsivu l'u nmwmuni of ilw alruutme upon ymid l'zlil wlun tlm strncm-e i5 mumpcd tlulet() t0 inurl". te the gripping iingngfvlm-nt if tbv clump wiili the mil1 rend uic-:ms indcpumlvnl nl' ilu :uil'niiiutic imams :md cmiti'nllublu :1t will by :in 11mmtol fm' applying m' rilmising said vlnmp.

ill. A mil clamp device fm' smill'ing :i rnvvling stl-natura to n mil minpl'ising flmiiping menus. nieuw: cnntmllziblu by un upvrntm fm' applying said vlmnping moans lo lmnp said Struffiu'v to liimil, salici clamping moans including u mmnblu invul bm' :ldnptnd tu be displmvd by :a fi'irlimml fmil'iaei' nl' the (dumping nwams with tlm mil wlmi lim siih'line Shirts t0 mow in vitlwl' iiiiwsliam from tlle'- position bi-rv il is .-lzunwd to the mil, smid nwmbul by it` hummm-nt Hvrving in incl'inse thu gripping lixgfngjvlnuut of lli@` flnmp with the mil.

mil clump device for Serill'ing tbv mui-,ling atmvtiuc t0 :i mil comprising clamping mmm including :1 movable mmap bm', Yliflatter zuluptml to bn (lisplmud by lriiliunall Contact of tbv clamping nmnns. will! tlm mil, wlwn the slruciui'c stail to www in villwr dirmion ou tlm mil. .Quid mvmlwl by its movement serving h1 cause gripping mlgngemnt of ih@ vlnmp willi illu will. :und imams lr muvo miel dumping imizziw ini l'i'ivtimml femtzivt willi lw mil.

iii il traveling bliilgv allnptml lo ll'zwl filling a substantially limizmiiul tmulUYny :iwi having :L mi] clump ibo lni'lm' provided will means lui minfin-0mg :1 gripping iii-us- :leirv when npliliud tu tbv miL nlllrmmimilly i if) mm'vnlunt uf iba* lu'idglv in i wirm Upon mid ruil.

mil clamp l'm :i llizn'vling brdgn lizi'liiig jaws adapted l0 migzign- :l mail m wlmii tbv bridge is guided, uwmw fm' :ipgljfiiig ilu jnwh if) tbv ruil, :md :lli-:um :mln-` lxsrfil'imilly IPsprmsw lo tlml movi-invul 0f tbv lnii'lgi, in Hitbox clirm'tion wlmi nid jaws nrc agplivd lo farmi gripping migngmm-nt 0f tlw jaws with the mil.

3S. ,il traveling bridge adapted im' l'l'zivfl upon lw two Separated ti'zuks of :i imi-k und iumpiising aa bridge psw-limi will! upright Supporting steuvtm'o fm' wivli of winks. :1 plm'nliy @if mil #lumps upmi -li uf'mid uprights., rzxcivfngnpn wir ling structures, :m imlivifiunl dump up rf alright und am individual wviLgbl Lll? fr Pitch clump" "l wblw um iaff a'axppm'iK i in l. iii: valium 0l. 'li Fi'li'liiw. umili/u nii-fam m1 said b'ulge pnriifm fui` uwving tlm isablvsutngetlwr. and :l mnlroller ibimid mnlvu means.

39. tmveling brid e adapted fur travel upm; tli tw() tracks 0 a` suitnblu tizwiway zw cl lnmpi'isng a bridge portimi and a pink Ill() 

